Remotely operated vehicles have been used by the oil and gas industry for approximately 40 years for subsea operations. Over the last several years, drones are just starting to be used for a number of applications such as surveying and inspections. In the near future, autonomous cars, trucks, ships, and aircraft will change the logistics landscape in ways we can only begin to imagine. Ultimately, it’s not the hardware or software, but the solution that these existing and new technologies bring to the oil and gas industry to improve safety and the efficiency of operations.

Unmanned systems are used in subsea well construction and support, terrain mapping, inspection of rigs and facilities, nondestructive evaluation of pipelines, transportation, surveillance and security, and facility planning and monitoring. Hisham Saadawi, SPE Production and Facilities Technical Director, wrote about the latest developments and applications of these technologies in his column, “Unmanned Vehicles and Robotics Gain Momentum.”

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